ART SG to Organise S.E.A. Focus from 2026

Commissioned by the National Arts Council (NAC), S.E.A. Focus has been an anchor event of Singapore Art Week (SAW) since 2019. Founding organiser STPI, which successfully delivered seven editions of S.E.A. Focus, has nurtured a pivotal platform for established and emerging Southeast Asian artists to connect with a global audience comprising collectors, academics, dealers and enthusiasts.

S.E.A. Focus will continue to champion contemporary art from Southeast Asia on a regional and global scale. The event will also actively foster discourse and market development to deliver enriching experiences for galleries, artists and audiences with its strong curatorial format. This format represents another evolution for the event, which was conceived in 2019 as a pop-up gallery showcase at Gillman Barracks before its transformation into a curated exhibition at Tanjong Pagar Distripark.

Tay Tong, Director (Visual Arts), Arts Ecosystem Group, NAC, said, “We have seen the growth of S.E.A. Focus since its inception in 2019. With ART SG assuming stewardship of S.E.A. Focus, we look forward to ART SG building on the good work of STPI to continue to develop S.E.A. Focus as a major showcase dedicated to contemporary art in Southeast Asia. Together with Emi, who stays on as the Artistic Consultant and John as the curator, there is much for artists, collectors and lovers of contemporary Southeast Asian Art to look forward to at SAW 2026. As commissioner, NAC is proud to work with our partners to surface high quality art works by Southeast Asian artists, and to deliver new and exciting experiences for all attending the annual SAW, Singapore’s premier arts and cultural event in the region.”

The 2026 edition of S.E.A. Focus will be presented at ART SG to collectively boost the value and offerings of both events during SAW. This strategic consolidation also cements both platforms as a mega-anchor for SAW, offering Singapore and international collectors’ wider access to diverse art market segments, while enabling Singapore to grow the Southeast Asian art market on a global scale. As a confluence point of international art presentation and discussion, S.E.A. Focus participating galleries will benefit from the global networking opportunities available at ART SG, while all visitors will enjoy the convenience of single-ticket admission to both S.E.A. Focus and ART SG.

Located within the heart of ART SG, S.E.A. Focus will continue distinguishing itself as a meeting point for all aspects of Southeast Asian art, whilst remaining distinct in terms of focus and format. ART SG is Southeast Asia’s premier international art fair, and a key gathering point for the global art world with over 100 participating galleries. ART SG regularly attracts over 40,000 collectors, art buyers and the art loving public and has cemented its position as the kick-off event for the annual global art calendar.

Emi Eu, Executive Director, STPI, said, “STPI took the helm of S.E.A. Focus in 2019 with a vision to build a distinctive platform where the best artistic talents from the region could be elevated onto the global stage. With the invaluable support and trust from NAC, each edition continued to surpass the previous, establishing itself as a vital platform in the region’s art ecosystem today. I look forward to being a part of this new chapter of S.E.A. Focus together with ART SG, as we embrace a fresh format while staying true to its commitment in championing Southeast Asian contemporary art.”

Magnus Renfrew, Co-Founder, ART SG, said, “We are honoured to build on the strong foundations established with S.E.A. Focus and look forward to working with Emi and John on an exceptional January 2026 edition. Singapore’s art community is thriving, and we are fortunate to have such committed partners in shaping ART SG, S.E.A. Focus, and SAW as a platform to experience the very best art from across Southeast Asia and around the world.”

With SAW 2026 taking place from 22 – 31 January, S.E.A. Focus will be held alongside ART SG from 23 – 25 January (VIP Preview and Vernissage 22 January) at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands. More information on the upcoming editions and programming details of S.E.A. Focus and ART SG will be released at a later date.

-END-

Issued by: The National Arts Council, STPI and ART SG

For media enquiries, kindly contact:

About the National Arts Council, Singapore

The National Arts Council (NAC) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth that champions the arts in Singapore. The Council promotes artistic excellence by providing diverse opportunities for artists and arts organisations while expanding access for audiences to appreciate the impact of the arts in enriching lives. By working closely with the arts community and partners, the Council seeks to build a connected society, creative economy and distinctive city through the arts. For more information, Visit NAC site.

About STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery 

STPI is a dynamic creative workshop and contemporary art gallery based in Singapore. Established in 2002, STPI is a not-for-profit organisation committed to promoting artistic experimentation in the mediums of print and paper and has become one of the most cutting-edge destinations for contemporary art in Asia. STPI sits alongside the National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum as part of the national Visual Arts Cluster of leading institutions in the region. 

About ART SG

As the leading art fair in Southeast Asia, ART SG is a dynamic platform showcasing the most visionary and exciting contemporary art from the region and globally. ART SG was co-founded by three of the world’s leading art fair organisers: Sandy Angus, Tim Etchells, and Magnus Renfrew. Collectively, they bring over 50 years of experience in the sector and have successfully co-founded and launched more than a dozen fairs worldwide over the past 15 years.

Under the direction of Fair Director Shuyin Yang and Co-Founder Magnus Renfrew, ART SG was launched in January 2023 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in the heart of Singapore’s financial district. In January 2022, MCH Group, the parent company of Art Basel, acquired a 15% shareholding in ART SG.

Presented by Founding and Lead Partner UBS, the first three editions of the fair welcomed significant local, regional, and international galleries alongside a cutting-edge program of commissioned and site-specific installations, experimental film, thought-provoking talks and performances.

Bringing progressive concepts and curation to the Singapore art landscape, ART SG delivers a custom-built fair of international standard and best practices, working from ground up to build a distinctive identity while fostering artistic excellence and cultural dialogue across Southeast Asia and the broader Asia Pacific region.

Differentiated from other art fairs, ART SG is geared towards the interests of the globally minded collector and aims to expand these interests by promoting new discourse and connections; encouraging cross-border collecting and a broad network of collectors and galleries forming relationships in Singapore. For more information visit artsg.com ↗ (opens in new tab).